


Farley the Former Fox

by dbzgal04



Category: Charlotte's Web - E. B. White, Charlotte's Web 2 Wilbur's Great Adventure
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Animal Transformation, Gen, Magic, Spells & Enchantments, farm, humanization
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27123857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbzgal04/pseuds/dbzgal04
Summary: After being entangled in the web of vines created by Wilbur, Bessie, and Charlotte's daughters, Farley the fox is rescued from an upcoming horrible fate, when Nature herself transforms him into a human!  Farley is horrified at first, but soon comes to terms with his new body and has no trouble carrying on when Conrad and Sally Hirsh take him in as a farmhand.





	Farley the Former Fox

Farley the Fox was just about to catch a certain rat named Templeton, when all of a sudden he was trapped in a web of vines! 

“What?! Impossible! Argh!”, Farley cried out as he attempted to escape, but only got even more tangled in the trap. The fox noticed he was being observed by a pig, a cow, three spiders, and the rat. 

The pig, whose name was Wilbur, said “Charlotte’s cousin caught a fish in her web, so I thought, hey, why not catch a fox in our web?”

Farley also heard Templeton the rat gasp, “This close! I could feel him breathing down my neck!” As the rodent continued chatting with the cow, whose name was Bessie, the ensnared fox could only growl in frustration. He then saw Wilbur leave in a hurry to find his friend Cardigan, a black lamb who would’ve made an excellent meal for the defeated vulpine. 

Before long, there came the sound of dogs barking in the distance. They came closer with each passing moment. Farley thought for sure they were coming for him, but to his surprise, and relief, the dogs ran past his trap, followed by farmers. He then noticed Wilbur. Sure enough, he still looked like a wild pig, covered in berry juice, leaves, and bark. So the dogs and farmers were after him instead! 

Just then, the farmers noticed a sparkly spider web, and shone a flashlight on the web. Not only was this spider web large and shiny, but the word “FOX” was spelled in the middle! One of the men, named Homer Zuckerman, stated, “Only time I ever saw writing like that, was with my pig Wilbur.” Then it all clicked in Homer’s head, and he whistled at the dogs. After the canines backed away, Homer said softly to the frightened pig, “Wilbur, is that you?”

The animal immediately perked up and oinked with joy. He became even more excited when Fern Arable, Homer’s niece quickly arrived and was able to clean the berry juice, leaves, bark, and everything else off of him.  
C  
onrad Hirsh, another one of the farmers present, pondered “I just don’t get it. If there was no wild pig, who stole my livestock?” Then everyone glanced back at the web, remembering that it spelled “FOX.” One of the men shined a flashlight underneath the web, and there was Farley, tangled up and helpless. “Gosh, it really is a fox!”, Conrad exclaimed.

Fortunately for Farley, the humans quickly returned their attention to Wilbur, who was finally joined by Cardigan. 

All of a sudden, a strong yet subtle wind blew through the fox’s fur. The nearby leaves and grass didn’t stir, yet Farley could feel this strange gust plain as day. Then, a transparent and beautiful woman appeared to him! She had long flowing black hair which was adorned with colorful flowers, and her green dress was decorated with leaves. The vulpine could only gawk in bewilderment. Then, the mysterious spectral lady said softly, “I know you won’t like this, but I’m doing it to save you. I’ll explain later on.”

Farley gulped, then asked “What are you-“ But before he could finish, the woman blew him a kiss, which created a wind that was not only stronger than a moment before, but actually encircled the trapped vulpine! Next thing Farley knew, a tense jolt began coursing through his body. Within seconds, the foxed passed out.

Hours later, Farley groaned as he slowly awoke. He found that he was able to move freely, meaning he was no longer entangled in the vines! Farley sighed in relief as he recovered from the drowsiness of deep slumber. Before long, he noticed that he was no longer in the outdoors, but inside a building! “Where am I? How did I get here?”, the puzzled Farley whispered. There was a door on one side of this room, and on the other side was a window with white curtains pulled back. He slowly sat up, and suddenly realized he’d been laying on a bed, and covered with blankets! 

Farley gasped in bewilderment and quickly stood up, out of the bed and on to the floor. Then to make matters even more confusing, Farley now noticed that he was only standing on two legs! “What’s the deal here?”, he whispered, then gasped again upon seeing his lower extremities! The now panicked Farley bolted around this strange room. Just then, he noticed another smaller room adjacent to this one. The door was open, and Farley quickly entered. There was a large mirror in this smaller room. Upon seeing the mirror, Farley cried out in horror! He raised one…finger, and pressed it against the mirror. Yes, this was his reflection. Farley screamed in anguish and fell to his knees. He was no longer a handsome charming fox, but a mere human!

Suddenly, the other door opened, and a couple pairs of footsteps quickly entered. A man and woman found Farley and hurried to his side. “Well, it’s good to see you’re finally awake,” said the man, “but why were you screaming?”

The devastated Farley merely stared at his reflection, and at his new hands. No fur or claws. “What have you done to me?!”, he screamed.

“Calm down, sir,” the woman said softly, gently resting her hands on his shoulders. “We’ve merely been checking on you and making sure you aren’t ill or injured. You were in quite a deep slumber for several hours!”

Farley asked, “Where am I, and how did I get here?”

“You’re at the hospital,” replied the man. “I’m Dr. Neal, one of the lead physicians. You were discovered in the forest, filthy and unresponsive. You’re quite lucky Homer Zuckerman, John Arable, and a few other guys were nearby. They all made sure you received immediate medical attention!”

“But how did I get this way?!”, Farley cried.

The woman replied, “That’s what we’ve been wondering. When those farmers found you, not only were you filthy and unresponsive, but you were surrounded by vines, and…,” she blushed before continuing, “completely nude! That’s why our staff got you cleaned and patched up, and we’ve been monitoring your progress and vital statistics.”

“Huh? What are those?”, Farley asked, his voice weary more than anything.

The woman smiled and responded, “Vital statistics are recordings of your body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and anything else that indicates if you’re healthy or ill.”

This sounded…interesting. But it still didn’t answer how Farley was now a mere human. He sighed and buried his face in his hands, now beginning to weep. 

Dr. Neal gently stood him up and said, “Come now, you should lay back down for a bit.”

The physician led Farley back to the bedside. After he laid back down, the woman gently covered him with the blankets. Then she told him “My name is Arlene, and I’m one of the head nurses here. Take it easy now, and someone will be back to check on you again in a little while.”

Tears rolling down his cheeks, Farley merely nodded. Arlene wiped his cheeks with her fingers. “No need to be scared,” she whispered, and then smiled and winked.

“If you say so,” Farley said weakly.

After Dr. Neal and nurse Arlene exited the room, Farley continued weeping in despair. Just then, he felt an all-too familiar gust of wind. He glanced toward where the wind came from, and sure enough, there was the same transparent woman. Farley glared, then hissed “Did you do this to me?!”

“Yes,” the woman replied, “like I mentioned, I knew you wouldn’t like it, but I did this to save you. Now, I’m here to explain everything. Dear Farley, I’m Nature herself. I couldn’t help but overhear your little song about your grace, charm, and everything else. You were right, Farley. Though foxes are naturally beautiful, witty, and charming, you had the most by far. Which, believe it or not, is why I turned you into a human. After those other creatures caught you in their own web, the farmers were going to slay you once they had the chance! That truly would’ve been a tragic waste. You may not think so right now darling, but you’re still extremely handsome and graceful as a human, and still an intellectual. Also, even if you hadn’t become trapped and therefore vulnerable, foxes don’t live as long as humans. In this new form, not only are you still youthful, witty, and handsome, but you’ll live much longer than you would’ve had you stayed in your original form. You also won’t have to worry about being slain by humans or other creatures, for merely trying to survive.”

Farley still had tears in his eyes, but after a brief pause he whispered, “I see…but how will I carry on in this new body?”

Nature smiled and said, “You’ll catch on soon enough and as time goes by. Also, you’ll immediately know how to do human things, such as driving vehicles for example.”

Farley gave his own weak smile, then replied, “I understand.”

Still giving a warm smile, Nature blew him another kiss, then slowly faded from sight. Farley laid back against his bed and pillow, still processing what Nature just explained to him. After a few minutes, he slowly stood back up and on to the floor, then walked back toward the smaller room with the mirror. He turned on the light switch for a better view. Farley briefly grimaced upon seeing his new reflection again, but now he could focus more clearly. 

His eyes were still a bright, emerald green. Though Farley no longer had fur, his hair was the exact same color and shade. Lowering his gaze, he noticed the light blue robe which he’d been covered with while in a deep sleep after the transformation. Slowly and gracefully, Farley disrobed himself, and inspected his now uncovered human body. His physique was slender, yet masculine and fit. Farley then gazed lower, and almost cried out in surprise upon discovering…a certain feature of his new anatomy. After recovering from this brief astonishment, Farley studied his human legs and feet. Then he turned around to see the back side as well. He received yet another startling discovery with his human form, but quickly moved on to check out his upper backside and shoulders.

Farley let out a long sigh and put the robe back on before going back to the bed. ‘Not too bad, I suppose,’ he thought.

Within the hour, the door to his hospital room opened again. “Here he is, Mr. Zuckerman.” Farley instantly recognized Arlene’s voice. He glanced over, and the nurse was leading Homer Zuckerman over to him.

The burly, gray-haired farmer sat beside Farley. He gave a friendly smile and said, “Good to know you’re doing alright. Where are you from? We haven’t seen you around before.”

The former fox lowered his head, unsure of how to reply. Finally, he gave a vague response, “I was living in the basement of an abandoned farmhouse.”

Homer raised an eyebrow, then asked, “Don’t you have any family or anything?”

Farley merely shook his head.

The bewildered, and sympathetic, Homer slowly stood up and told Arlene, “I’m going to make a few phone calls now.”

When he exited, the nurse then sat beside Farley. She rubbed him under the chin with a finger, then said softly, “See? Everything will be fine.”

The now-human guy looked up and met her gaze. He gave a small smile of appreciation. Arlene grinned, then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss! Farley blushed and gave a slight chuckle. The nurse then winked at him before leaving. 

Before long, Homer returned to see Farley. He was accompanied by Conrad Hirsch, and Conrad’s wife Sally. Conrad then spoke up, saying to him, “Homer updated us and everyone else about everything. We understand that you have no family or friends, or even a stable home. Is that correct?”

The former fox let out a depressed sigh and replied “Yes, that’s right.”

Conrad and Sally gave a warm smile, then Conrad announced, “You’re in luck! My wife Sally and I have been considering hiring a farmhand for a while now. We even have a couple spare bedrooms, so you can live with us as well.”

Farley was overcome by several emotions and thoughts. Most of all he was grateful and astonished. No living thing, human or animal, had ever been this sweet and considerate to him. But then he remembered Nature’s words, about how he’d no longer have to worry about being harmed or slain for simply trying to survive. 

Finally, Farley stuttered, “I…don’t know what to say. But I accept, and thank you very much!”

“You’re most welcome, darling,” replied Sally Hirsch, who also winked at him.

Sally and Homer each put an arm around Farley’s shoulders and stood him up. Then Conrad gently draped a long and lightweight coat over the blue robe. The trio then led the former fox to the front desk, got him discharged, and led him outside. Farley couldn’t help but notice that both indoors and outside, quite a few of the women, and even a few of the men, couldn’t take their eyes off him. ‘No doubt it’s part of the looks and charm Nature said I’ve still got,’ he thought.

Finally, Conrad and Sally took Farley over to their truck after parting ways with Homer, then drove him back to their farm after they were all seated and buckled in. 

When they arrived at the Hirsch farm, Farley recognized it alright. The henhouse, barn, no doubt this was where he kidnapped Cardigan from. Soon enough, he was settled into his new bedroom which also had its own bathroom.

That evening during supper, Farley tasted vegetables for the first time, carrots, peas, and corn. It was a little odd at first, since Farley had only eaten meat during his time as a fox, but he couldn’t deny that these vegetables were quite delicious too! After going to bed for the night, Farley had no trouble with getting comfortable in his new bed, with the fluffy pillows, sheets, and blankets. ‘This part isn’t bad at all!’, he thought before dozing off.

Farley was so cozy and peaceful, that he didn’t wake up until after Conrad and Sally started their work for the day! When he woke to see the sun shining through his window, he gasped and hurried downstairs. But Conrad and Sally weren’t there. Farley quickly figured that they were outside. He went back upstairs to his new bedroom, then entered the bathroom upon re-entering. He closed the door after undressing, then turned on the shower. Just like Nature said, he immediately knew how to turn on water, open and close doors, and everything else. Farley relaxed as the lukewarm water soaked his body. Using soap and shampoo for the first time was also quite a calming experience. 

After Farley was cleaned up and he turned the water off, he studied his reflection yet again before drying off with the towel Homer and Sally left for him, and again after he had dried off. He brushed his new hair, all the while watching and getting used to these new movements. When Farley was all dry and groomed, he looked in the mirror for an extra minute longer. Finally, he smiled and thought, ‘I guess I’ve still got it after all, and this all won’t be so bad.’

He then opened the bathroom door and stepped out, and was surprised to see a girl standing in front of the bed! Upon hearing the bathroom door open, the girl jumped and spun around, and screamed upon seeing this stranger! She almost ran out, but stayed in her spot and stammered “I’m so sorry!” The gal started to cover her face with her hands, but paused as she continued staring at this handsome stranger who was completely nude in front of her. The embarrassed girl knew she should leave and not stare at him, but she just…couldn’t resist!

After an awkward moment of silence, Farley merely chuckled and gave her a smug grin. “Pleasant to gaze at, am I?”

The gal turned even redder and nodded. “I’m so sorry for barging in, I had no idea there was anyone in here!”

“No harm done, my dear,” Farley replied, still giving her that smug grin. He had to admit, she was quite a beautiful sight too. Long dark brown hair which was worn in a braid, bright blue eyes, and lips which were as red as her blushing cheeks.

Suddenly, the front door downstairs opened. The girl hurried outside the bedroom and quickly but quietly closed the door before rushing down the stairs. Farley tiptoed over to the door and listened closely. He heard the girl shout “Aunt Sally, Uncle Conrad, why didn’t you tell me there was another guest here?!”

From what he could make out afterward, they were going to tell their niece about this new farmhand, but she arrived earlier than expected while they were still doing their tasks outdoors. Farley snickered and went to get dressed; fortunately for him, he and Conrad were close enough in size for Farley to borrow some of his clothing.

A few minutes later, and Farley descended the stairs and joined the others in the living room, clad in blue jeans and a red t-shirt. Before he could say anything, Sally announced, “Farley, this is our niece, Nora.”

The new farmhand grinned, and said, “A pleasure to formally meet you, Nora.”

Nora turned red again, then replied, “Yes, likewise.”

Next, Sally blushed, then said, “I’m so sorry about your first…meeting! Conrad and I were going to tell her about you and where you’re staying in our home, but she arrived earlier than scheduled. We were still working outside and didn’t even notice her enter the house.”

Farley merely snickered, then responded, “That’s quite alright, your lovely niece didn’t cause any harm! Speaking of work, why didn’t you wake me earlier this morning?”

This time, Conrad spoke up. He replied, “Due to your experience before coming here, we figured you could use your first day to rest and take it easy.”

Once again, Farley was surprised by the courtesy and consideration. After a brief pause, he said, “Wow…well, thank you.”

“Anytime,” the farmer responded, smiling warmly, then asked “Would you like a tour of the farm?”

“Yes, that would be quite delightful,” answered Farley.

Conrad led his new farmhand outside. First they went to the barn, where Bessie and the other cows lived. When Bessie noticed Farley, she tilted her head and mooed in confusion. Next came the familiar sound of a lamb baaing. Farley turned toward the noise. Sure enough, there was Cardigan. The black lamb stared at him in horror, then backed away, baaing even louder. 

Conrad chuckled, then said, “This is Cardigan. He’s very timid around new folks. This is exactly how he acted when I bought him from my friend Homer.”

“Yes, I understand,” the former fox replied, laughing faintly. Upon hearing his voice, Cardigan’s eyes widened even more. 

After Conrad and Farley left the barn, Cardigan hurried over to Bessie. “Bessie, did you see…did you hear…?”, the lamb stuttered.

The equally shocked cow answered, “Yes I did, Cardigan. That was…Farley! I thought there was something familiar about the new human.”

“But why and how is he a human and no longer a fox?!”, Cardigan exclaimed.

“All I can say is, that’s a good question,” Bessie replied.

In the meantime, Conrad had shown the human Farley the henhouse, garden, and everything else essential on the farm. Sure enough, the hens also panicked when they saw and recognized the former fox. But Conrad thought nothing of it. ‘They and the rest of our livestock just need time to get used to him,’ he thought.

After Conrad and Sally returned to their duties for the day, Farley got more acquainted with their niece Nora. He learned that she was the daughter of Sally’s older brother, and was now in her final year of college, where she was mainly studying agriculture, business, and education. 

“That’s an interesting combination,” Farley commented.

“Thanks,” the gal replied. “It’s too hard to settle on just one, when I’m so passionate about all three.”

“Nothing wrong with pursuing more than one interest,” the farmhand said. It was then he noticed, Nora had been gazing at him in deep awe and admiration. Almost as if she had never seen a guy before. Farley raised an eyebrow, then asked, “Is something wrong? You’re looking at me…funny.”

Nora blushed again and quickly turned away. “No, nothing is wrong,” she stammered, “I’m so sorry for staring at you. You’re just so…handsome!”

The former fox suddenly felt his cheeks warm up. Then he chuckled and replied, “It’s alright. So I’m also pleasant to gaze at, even when fully clothed?”

“Yes!”, Nora cried, turning redder than ever.

The farmhand chuckled again, then gently placed his hands on her cheeks and turned her back toward him. “Take it easy, no need to be timid. Besides, I must say that you’re quite a lovely sight as well,” and winked at the blushing gal.

Nora grinned and exclaimed, “Thank you very much!”

Farley watched as her cheeks slowly but surely regained their normal color. Then to the girl’s surprise…and delight, he leaned in and gave her a gentle peck on the lips! Nora squealed, then threw her arms around him and hugged the former fox. Farley felt his cheeks warming up again, as he lifted his arms and caressed Nora’s shoulders. After pulling away from the embrace, Nora asked Farley if he wanted to go outside for some fresh air, which he immediately accepted.

From that day on, Farley was a very well-known farmhand in the area. Sometimes he even assisted on other farms in addition to his residence at the Hirsh farm. The first time he worked at the Zuckerman farm, Farley recognized the pig Wilbur and rat Templeton. Sure enough, the animals gawked at him. The former fox merely snickered and said softly, “No need to be afraid. I’m no longer what you consider a savage predator.”

After he carried on with his tasks, Wilbur exclaimed “It’s true! Farley turned into a human somehow!”

“Just when you think you’ve heard and seen it all,” said Templeton, as he and the pig nodded at each other.

Not only was Farley known for his hard and dedicated work, but he was also known for his wit, grace, charm, and stunning good looks, all of which seemed almost otherworldly. Whenever the former fox was in town or at the fair, many of the girls and women, and even a few of the boys and men, gave him admiring gazes.

But alas for his numerous admirers, after Sally and Conrad Hirsh’s niece Nora graduated from college and found her own steady job, she and Farley eventually got engaged, and finally married. As the newlyweds danced together at their wedding reception, Farley thought to himself, ‘Not only do I still have my charm, grace, and intellect from my time as a fox, but now I’ve also got so much more. Nature was right, and I’m going to be just fine.’ Farley then grinned at Nora, as the couple leaned in for another kiss.


End file.
